[3.13] Summoner Aura Stacker ft Stormblast Mines

The main idea of this build is to scale aura effect by number of minions, which typically means spectres, zombies, skeletons, or golems. However, there is one more that is very often overlooked: phantasms. They are caster type minion that cast a projectile which pierce all targets and does base physical damage.

Unlike the other minions they are not summoned from a skill gem but are created when a supported skill gets a kill or hits a rare/unique mob. Both their health and damage depend on the active skill gem level the support it is linked to, while the support gem controls the maximum number of phantasms.

Raise spectre is the skill used to create the phantasms. It is better than other minion gems because there are many spectre that scale damage with same supports as phantasm, and the number of spectre is dependent on the gem level instead of ascendency or gear. Here is a descending order of best spectre type for the build: phys spell caster > cold spell caster > lighting spell caster > phys melee with fast attack skills

IMO, the best spectre for this build is Templar Advocates, which is a Templar legion spell caster that can spawn from map or timeless conflict. It does base physical damage, with % of it converted to lightning; Main spells are Ball Lightning (with innate slower projectile) and Storm Call. They are also relatively resilient, with ~40k life and ~3k ES. However, they can be difficult to raise: their corpses disappear a few seconds after they are killed in map, and Templar Emblems/splinters are relatively rare and expensive. They are also reason why there’s high variation in damage, due to Storm Call having delay and number of times each BL will hit before expiring.

Another good option that is easier to get is Scale of Esh, unless you have arachnophobia (fear of spider). They are similar to Slave Drivers, but have much higher HP at cost of clear speed. It's primarily DPS comes from arc with very fast cast speed (0.5 sec base cast speed), however it does not chain. There are also a lightning surge (same as Slave Driver) and OoS skill, but both have 5 sec CD. Lastly, it also spawn 3 copies of itself. However those copies is not affected by support gems, only auras.

Here are some other recommended spectres: Sin Purger, Frost Auto-Scout, Frost Sentinel, Risen Vaal Advocate (phys variant)

Un-detonated mine creates a stackable aura, the effect depends on the mine: Stormblast's aura is 3% increase damage taken. For those that are unfamiliar, damage taken is a damage multiplier that is applied after hit damage is modified by resistance (phys/ele/chaos). Because it is an aura, it will also get affected by increased aura effect/range. Each mine will increase damage taken by 9% @ 300% aura effect, up to maximum of 150% (hard cap). I generally only use this vs rare mobs or mini bosses, or stack them pre-combat vs Sirus/Conquerors/Maven.

Guardian is a well rounded choice, and can get decent amount of ES without a lot of investment due to Radiant Faith

Necromancer is an alternative that require minimal change to tree. The damage will be higher, but have lower physical resistance and ES without investment

Ascendent(Guardian/Necro) can be used as well. At the low end, it has less ES and regen than Guardian, and less damage than Necro. But it has the most potential at the high end, just like other aura stacking builds

https://pastebin.com/er07gTFp

This is using the gear I have for my char, but replaced all the alt/awakened gems with normal ones

https://pastebin.com/C64r9fxE

This is a variation using what I think is the best mods for the build. Some of the items may not be too hard to craft, but others (in particular the abyssal jewels) will be much harder/expensive to acquire

Highly recommand using PoB to find each minion's DPS.

If using Templar Tacticians, DPS vary quite a bit. To keep it simple, I multiply PoB's reported Ball Lightning DPS by 6 (average hit per ball before it expires)

If using Stormburst mines when calculating DPS, set the Active Mines values to 6~9. Don't set it too high as it can be very difficult to keep 13+ mines active in a boss fight

Total DPS = max # of phantasms x phantasm DPS + max # of spectres x spectre DPS + max # of skeletons

Minimum is a weapon usable with smite and have +1 to all spells; can craft on minion damage if there is empty prefix. An upgrade from that will be a Stabilizing scepter which provides Elemental Overload, so saves 1 skill point. Next upgrade will be a redeemer influenced Stabilizing scepter with either increased hatred effect or auras grants 2% increase damage, the latter being the preferred

BiS will have all the aforementioned mods and trigger spell cast bench craft

ES shield (Titanium) is preferred, though armor/ES will also work. At minimum it should have 15% RMR to socket gem mod from shaper/hunter influence; upgrade from that will involve adding redeemer influence to get 10% increase aura effect mod

BiS will have all the aforementioned mods with +1 to cold/lightning spells and high ES

Alternatively, Prism Guardian can be a low budget option, as long as total RMR is greater than 75% from other sources (tree/gear/enchant/etc)

Alpha’s Howl is the obvious low/no budget choice

The recommanded option is an ES (Hubris Circulet) or Bone Helm with 5% RMR (Redeemer/essence) with Eternal Lab enchant for RMR of an active aura. The enchant doesn’t have to be for 50% reserved auras (wrath/hatred/etc), Purity of Fire/Cold/Lightning will also work. Next upgrade will be one with high ES (200+), follow by Crusader/Redeemer’s nearby enemy have -9% resist

BiS is a bone helm with +3 to socket minion gem, supported by lvl 20 minion damage and hypothermia, +3% to socket spell crit, and an Eternal Lab enchant for RMR of an active aura. This will allow Guardian/Ascendent to have 4 spectres

Saqawal’s Nest is recommended. Shav can be used with a LL setup, but will need to get chaos resist from somewhere. However, LL is not recommended as this build is very socket starved.

Triad’s Grip is required, preferably with +2 to socketed Aoe/Aura. Sockets coloring will depend on level of investment: all/three blue for low tier, and three green for high tier. Use PoB to determine the best color combination base on your gear.

The Stampede is recommended, as it is used to anoint Death Attunement. A rare boots or Doryani’s Delusion can be used if you don’t mind having one less spectre

Minimum is a Shaper/Redeemer influenced amulet with 5% RMR, anointed Champion of the Cause (Teal + Crimson + Gold oil). It can be improved by using Fertile (life/mana) catalyst to turn it into 6% RMR, and further upgrade with Hunter influence’s +1 to all int skill gems.

BiS is a Shaper + Hunter influenced Simplex amulet with 5% RMR, +1 to all int skill gems, grant vitality skill, % increased max ES, 20% Fertile catalyzed, and anointed with Champion of the Cause

Using unset rings for both slots is highly recommended since the build is socket starved, though a rare ring can be used for more ES and/or attribute.

It is highly recommended that one of the ring is a Hungry Loop; the gems to feed it with is covered in gems section

BiS for the other ring will be a redeemer influenced unset ring with +3 to socket gem lvl, +# to ES, % increase minion damage, and attributes to meet gem/gear requirements

Vivinsect can be used as well, as long as mana requirement can be met

There is no set requirement, anything can be used. However, Darkness Enthroned is highly recommended as it provides 2 abyss jewel slots, and increase the effect of socket jewels by 75%

Large Minion Damage Cluster

Medium Aura Cluster

Ideally most of the jewels should have RMR corrupt, especially in high tier version with more auras enabled.

Brute Force Solution and Fertile Mind are cheap source of ES jewel to corrupt, since they provide 16-24 int each, and can convert Str/Dex nodes to Int; every 5 point of int provide 1% ES. Otherwise, look for non-abyss jewels with ES, Int, mana, and Str/Dex if needed. For abyss jewels, look for Ghastley Eye with minion flat phys, % increased minion damage if recently used minion skill, minion % chance blind on hit, and mods mentioned for non-abyss jewels.

BiS is Ghastly Eye with 1% RMR, T1 minion flat phys, 20% increased minion damage if recently used minion skill, T1 ES, and T1 int; one jewel should have minion % chance blind on hit instead of T1 int

Highly recommended unique flasks: Bottled Faith, Taste of Hate, Rumi's Concoction

Basalt and Quartz flask are also highly recommended, is useful for bleed/freeze removal

(lvl 21) Raise Spectre
(lvl 21) Summon Phantasm
(Anomalous/Awakened) Spell Echo
If not using BiS helm

If using BiS helm

(Anomalous/Divergent) Zealotry
(Anomalous/Divergent) Wrath
(Vaal) Haste
Hatred
(Divergent) Vitality, not needed if using BiS amulet
Clarity, keep it at low level or level 1
Purity of Fire
(Divergent) Purity of Ice
(Divergent) Purity of Lightning
(Divergent) Precision
(Phantasmal) Smite
Discipline
Summon Skitterbots
Stormblast Mines
If using BiS helm

Desecrate
(Anomalous) Flesh Offering
(Divergent) Animate Guardian
Convocation
Flame Dash or Leap Slam
(Vaal) Summon Skeletons

Without BiS helm

Using BiS helm